Basketball Game Preview: Rio Vista Eagles vs. Meridian Yellowjackets

Rio Vista has gone 5-0 against Meridian recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Rio Vista Eagles will head out to face off against the Meridian Yellowjackets at 7:30 p.m. Meridian took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Rio Vista, who comes in off a win.

Rio Vista took a loss when they played away from home last Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Valley Mills with a sharp 49-29 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win Rio Vista has posted since December 7, 2024.

Rio Vista's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Dawson Macklin led the charge by dropping a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds. That's the most boards Macklin has posted since back in December of 2023. Another player making a difference was Kaiden Scott, who posted ten points.

Rio Vista smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, Meridian played a tough match on Tuesday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were dealt a 96-51 defeat at the hands of Meyer. The Yellowjackets haven't had much luck with the Ravens recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.

Rio Vista is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 10-9 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.0 points per game. As for Meridian, their loss dropped their record down to 13-4.

Rio Vista won a game that couldn't have been any closer when the teams last played back in December of 2022, slipping by Meridian 51-50. The rematch might be a little tougher for Rio Vista since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.